Would the military be good for me?
I am in college now and I plan on getting my bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and then a masters degree. I fell like I need to serve time in the military for the people of the U.S. and so I can really deserve to live in this country. I was born here but I don’t feel like I deserve the right to live in a free society while others are risking their lives and most never even get a chance.
I don’t want to have a desk job in the military and I don’t want a random tech job or something. I really would like to be a Navy Seal but I know I will have to work hard before I even get there. I would like to be a combat soldier. At least I think I do…I don’t have any idea what it would be like or if it would be a good or bad choice.
What options do I have? Would the military be a good thing for me or should I just stick to the civilian world and get a career in engineering? I like collecting and shooting military firearms but I don’t want to be some poser who thinks they are tough stuff because they bring their AR-15 to the range in military fatigues but doesn’t have a clue about military service.
I am on the fence about this one.
O, just for the record, I am not that poser. I don’t own an AR-15 or wear fatigues when I go to the range. I own WW2 military firearms.
Posted in military firearms
January 18th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
When I was graduating high school, I had almost every branch knocking on my door because of my high school asvab score. The Air Force really wanted me in linguistics. However, because I was 17, young and impressionable, and just wanted to party and run from responsibility, I turned it all down. I went to college, but eventually dropped out because I didnt like my major. So, now I am 30, just finished about 4 semesters (part time) in college (new degree) and about 6 months ago, some people I work with started talking about joining the military. It just kinda got me thinking because i always felt as if something was missing and always wondered what it would have been like or where I would have been if I had of joined back in high school.
It played on me for a few months and I was actually jealous of those guys going and taking the asvab and trying to get in. So I confronted my wife about it one night (she grew up an army brat), and she even felt like it was what needed to be done. Weird part is, even tho I enlisted in the army, I’m going in for linguistics. I’m even going to finish my college (tho it may take longer) and the military is going to help with the GI Bill and tuition assistance.
Moral is: You may have a calling, and if you run it will probably eat at you. Even when you forget about it, and you hear someone else talking about it, you will start thinking about what it would have been like if you went with your calling. I say if you feel passionate about it, then go for it. If you dont like it, its only for a certain amount of years then you still get the college benefits. If you do like it, then you can probably still get your degree (may take longer) but you will have a job and in 20 years from the day you go in, you can retire. Curiousity will haunt you forever.
January 18th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Personally I doubt you will be a Navy Seal. Nothing personal, I don’t know anything about you be the stuff you have to go through to be a Navy Seal is… well let’s call it tough and just know that I’m grossly downplaying it. I am not a Navy Seal and I have not personally witnessed any of their training. What I have seen from documentaries and competitive documentaries (like fight science and deadliest warrior), makes me believe there is only a fraction of a percentage of people in the country even capable of going through that stuff. I know that that is not first hand experience so if you don’t take my word on it, that is your choice.
However the army or navy would be a good idea for you in my opinion. The media makes it seems like soldiers are dropping dead left and right but its simply not true. If you are willing to serve your country there are nothing but benefits for you to join up. People may try and discourage you with the tales of body bags and car bombs. Granted these aren’t lies, not all soldiers come back from active duty. However not all soldiers go into active duty and all soldiers are trained and taught how to deal with and compete in open war. Its not like they through you into the conflict with a gun and hope you do well.
Bottomline, if you are willing to put in the effort, I think it is the most noble thing you can do of your own free will.